Correspondence: Life at the Judgement; Great White Throne

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 6
Question 110: Is it our life after our conversion that is manifested at the judgment seat of Christ? or, Is it all our life from our birth? If the latter, how are we to understand, “Your sins and iniquities will I remember no more”? M. H.
Answer: The judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)) takes place after the sleeping and changed saints have been caught up. They are glorified, therefore no thought of sins imputed can be raised. They are with and like the Lord. Their whole life is manifested there; all they did in the body, whether good or bad. The Lord will approve of what He can, and disapprove of what He sees was wrong, even to the hidden motives of the heart (1 Cor. 4:55Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1 Corinthians 4:5)). This will show us, as we never knew before, what grace has done for us, and how the Lord has borne with us all through our lives. Knowing we are to be manifested, should exercise us now to judge in the Lord’s presence our present ways (Psa. 138: 23-24).
Hebrews 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17) is a quotation from Jeremiah 31, to show that the blessings of the new covenant already belong to the believer through the finished work of Christ. “By one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)).
Question 111: Are only the unsaved to stand at the Great White Throne? What does it mean by “books” and “another book”? T. N. L.
Answer: If you read the chapter you will see that the first resurrection, that is, of the blessed and holy, took place a thousand years before this scene. That was the resurrection of life This is the resurrection of the dead, the resurrection of judgment (John 5:2929And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:29)). Those seen standing at the great white throne are judged according to their works; they have no substitute, no Savior. There is no hope for them now. The book of life can only witness that their names are not written in it. One book contains each person’s account of what they have done. The other is the Word of God. (See John 12:4848He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (John 12:48)). They are therefore judged, and they get justice, fearful doom, fully merited; they are cast into the lake of fire. The believers are saved by grace.